


Waiting For You

by IAmStoryteller



Series: Distance (Where We Fall) [2]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Captain Marvel (DC), Justice League, Robin (Comics)
Genre: Elseworlds, Happy Family, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-02
Updated: 2014-02-01
Packaged: 2018-01-07 04:47:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1115690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IAmStoryteller/pseuds/IAmStoryteller
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Billy and Damian are soulmates.  Damian's in denial and Billy's not.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Denial

The universe hated him, Damian decided. Or rather Aunt Diana was right about Aphrodite taking delight in making people fall in love and putting them through the ringer. Damian was the sixteen year son of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul, he was also the current Robin. He was a good person, he liked to think. He saved and helped others all the time.

So why now of all times did his hormones have to go out of whack and he really needed to stop staring at Billy before someone (like Richard or God forbid, Mother) noticed that he was leering at his best friend (his shirtless, beautiful best friend). Billy Batson, adopted son of Zatanna Zatara and John Constantine, had been Damian’s best friend since toddler-hood. They had been attached to the hip for years. Damian could not have asked for a better best friend. (Colin was close but they were more like brothers). Billy had always been special, Damian knew this about his best friend, especially when Billy became Shazam (Billy calls himself Captain Thunder, as a joke) and Mary, his twin, became Lady Shazam.

It was summertime and as usual Father was having a party at Wayne Manor for the League and their families. Damian, as usual, sat under the shade, studying because Mother was insistent that Damian had multiple areas of study under his belt, especially if he was going to be Batman one day. He glanced over at his Mother, Talia, who was arguing with Aunt Selina over something or another (possibly Aunt Selina flirted with Father again). Billy was playing volleyball with the others their age.

It was Billy, Mary and Lian verses Freddy, Hiro and Colin. Naturally Billy’s team was winning, only because Lian was deadly accurate. Billy was laughing at Freddy who got beamed in the head by the ball. Freddy’s face was a dangerous shade of red. 

Billy smiling was the most beautiful and wonderful thing in the world.

Damian averted his eyes when Billy caught his eyes. Billy grinned. He swam to the edge of the pool and got out. He went over to Talia and talked to her for a moment. Talia, as tough as she was (if she could convince Richard that a disco-themed Nightwing suit was a bad idea and make Father take a week of vacation per year from crime-fighting, Mother could manage anything), could not say no to Billy either, as she waved him off. Billy came over to Damian, grin on his face. He knew he was trouble.

“Billy, no, I have work to do,” said Damian, eyeing Billy. Billy took the books and laptop and put in on the table.

“Well, I have a mission to make you have fun, so we are at an impasse,” said Billy, mock seriously. Suddenly, he was being picked up by Billy (who was much stronger than he looked). 

“I swear I will end you. Put me down,” demanded Damian.

He was thrown in the pool. Damian rose from the water and splashed Billy. 

“Ohh, I’m so scared,” said Billy, mockingly. Damian’s eye twitched as Billy jumped into the pool. Billy swam toward Damian. “Aw, don’t be pouty, despite the fact that you’re adorable when you pout.” Damian proceeded to dunk Billy under the water. He ignored the tingling sensation when he touched Billy’s shoulders.

Damian in the Cave preparing for patrol with Father, in the middle of dressing into his Robin uniform, when Hiro (who lived in Japan, so was not leaving until morning) entered, no doubt to check out Father’s computers. Hiro smiled at him, in a way that caused Damian to flush and made him uncomfortable.

“Ah, Damian, I’m lucky to catch you,” said Hiro, “I was wondering if you would like to go on a date with me?”

Damian stared at him. “Ugh, what?”

“Not now, of course, but soon. I think you’re amazing and I’m amazing, so it would be fun,” said Hiro.

Damian thought about this offer. No, he did not want to go on a date with Hiro, but then he thought maybe it would distract him from Billy. “Just one date.”

“Cool.” Then, Hiro went over and kissed him on the cheek. Hiro got a shoe flung at his head, which hit its mark. Billy just came out of the training room and Damian knew him well enough that he was not pleased. Hiro paled at the sight of Billy. “See you.” Hiro escaped back upstairs.

Billy marched over to the shirtless Damian, still holding the top of his Robin suit in his hands and frowned. “What was that?” Damian bristled at Billy’s tone.

“Hiro asked me out and I said yes,” said Damian, deadpan.

Billy smiled, a forced one. Hugging Damian tightly, suddenly, causing everything in Damian to go haywire. His heart beat fast, his face got red and he never wanted to let go. “If that’s what you want, Damian.” Sighing, Billy pulled away. “Got my city to protect. Be safe.”

“Be safe,” said Damian, in response. Billy went out through the driveway and disappeared with a word. He had a good best friend.


	2. The Date

Father disapproved of Damian’s date with Hiro. Actually, his entire family was, from Mother (no one was good enough for her baby boy), to Richard (merely shook his head every time it was mentioned), to Jason (calling Damian a fucking fool), to Tim (mocking him), to Cassandra (confused), to Stephanie (cackling like a mad-woman), to Colin (disappointed for some reason), and naturally to Alfred (with his normal snarky self), not happy about the date. He wondered if it was if they did not like Hiro for him, or something else.

Mari, his little innocent baby Mari, actually stared at him in utter disbelief. “But he doesn’t love you!” He could not explain to her that sometimes people went on dates did not have to be in love with each other, because they had to get to know each other first. A six-year old did not understand that Damian needed to see if he could have a relationship with somebody.

Lian and Mary did not help matters either. Freddy told Damian that he was on his own with two very hell-bent girls’ intent on discussing his feelings with him. Lian and Mary were a fearsome duo, not unlike Billy and Damian.

“I don’t think this a good idea,” said Mary, brown eyes, full of fury. He half-expected that Mary was doing this for Billy. Billy had not spoken to him in days. (No, he was not checking his phone ever ten seconds waiting for Billy to text him and no, he did not hack the traffic cameras to spy on the Constantine household and he certainly did not do the Bat-thing and activated the tracking device that Damian put on a gift that he gave to Billy last year (an iPhone) so he could track his best friends movements). Billy’s disappointment in the whole thing really bothered Damian. But Billy had no right to say who Damian could or could not date.

Damian never acted like a child when Billy had girlfriends.

(Damian certainly did not bug Cissie Summerly’s entire mansion nor did he produce an entire background check to Billy the day after officially meeting her. Nor did Damian spy on Billy’s first and only date with Lisa Sutton or any of the other girls that Billy insisted on flirting with and dating).

“Mary, please, it’s not your problem here,” said Damian, scoffing. Lian snorted. Damian glared at the black and red haired Lian, one of the best friends he had ever had. “It’s just a date. I am not eloping with him.”

“You do that, I will gut him,” said Lian, scowling Mary put her arm around Lian.

“You spend far too much time with Donna,” said Mary, sighing. “We just don’t want you to get hurt.” Damian sighed. He knew that they were just looking out for him. “I know you can take care of yourself.”

“Thank you for worrying but it is for nothing. It’s just a date,” said Damian. Mary and Lian looked at him with vague disappointment, and he wondered why.

It was just a date.

And just a date it was. It was pleasant as far as things went. He and Hiro met in New York City. They walked through Central Park and then went to the Museum of Natural History. Damian felt vaguely guilty as he walked through the latest exhibit on early man, because he and Billy were supposed to go next week. Billy and Damian did things like that all the time—museum-hopping was their thing. Still, Hiro took Damian to a very expensive and fancy Japanese restaurant, where he knew the chef.

Before the end of the date, they went to Bryant Park where all the little shops were set up behind the New York Public Library’s main building (He and Billy were both cardholders at that Library and various other Libraries around the world—library-hopping was their thing too). They passed various booths, Damian bought Mari a star-necklace. 

Damian thought that the date went well, he barely thought about Billy.

Then, there was a Shazam-shop. He and Billy visited several of these shops to see what was going on and Billy found it hilarious. The Shazam-shop was a pseudo-magic shop with lots of Shazam paraphernalia—action figures, watches and the like. Damian scowled at the sight of the grinning face of Shazam, of the superhero side of his best friend. 

“He’s amazing, isn’t he,” asked Hiro, once he managed to drag Damian away from the shop. “Shazam, I mean.”

Damian faltered. “Yes, he is.”

Hiro continued. “He’s not like us, at all. A practical god.”

Damian frowned. Billy hated when people thought he was a god, to himself, Billy was just a guy with some powers and did some good that was all. “A god would not risk himself every day to save a little girl from a burning building nor would a god fight evil men who threatened the innocent. Gods don’t do that.”

Hiro stopped talking. “Ah, I see.”

Damian thought it went well, up until that point. Damian did not think he would be seeing Hiro as anything more than a friend though.

He called Billy once home, before he had to go on patrol.

“Damian,” answered Billy, right away, “how was your date?”

“Alright, I suppose. Saw that new exhibit at the Museum of Natural History,” replied Damian. He did not know why he wanted Billy to know that. Billy sighed.

“You want to go see it again still, right,” asked Billy.

“Yes, Hiro would not stop talking about the plane-exhibit,” said Damian, annoyed.

Damian could hear Billy begin to break out in a smile, heard it in his voice. “So, you and Hiro are a no-go, huh? Sorry, Dami.” Billy and Mari were the only ones allowed to use that stupid nickname. Billy only used it rarely.

“It’s fine; it was just a date.”


	3. Protect

“Oh, God,” murmured Nightwing, looking up at the sky. Robin stood next to his brother. His heart was in his throat, watching the skies. Batman was nearby, working on removing several kryptonite bullets from the Man of Steel, Superman, with aid from Black Bat and Spoiler. Bluejay and Red Robin were getting all civilians to safety with various members of the League and the Titans. Many of the stronger heroes were down for the count. Vandal Savage was an epic bastard.

He was fighting Shazam. And Shazam was losing.

Only trained fighters could even keep up with the fight. Robin, Damian, hated that he was just standing there while his best friend, the most important person in the world to him, was getting hurt. Nightwing kept one hand on Damian’s shoulder, tightly. It was scary that blood was falling from the sky.

Billy’s blood.

His beloved’s blood.

“Diana, you need to get up,” said Colonel Steve Trevor, hurried, trying to revive the unconscious Wonder Woman, on a stretcher next to Superman. “Black Adam just showed up.” Robin watched as Black Adam, that son of a bitch, got Shazam from behind. The giant flash of lightning hit Shazam. As Shazam crashed to the ground with Black Adam practically jumping on top of him, Robin broke free from his brother’s grasp. Nightwing was not as fast as he used to be, but lucky the cavalry arrived.

Starfire and other heroes who had been dealing with a natural disaster in the South Pacific finally arrived. Starfire immediately charged at Black Adam, taking him down. Meanwhile, Superboy and Supergirl teamed up on Vandal Savage. Robin, Damian, reached Shazam’s side, who was now Billy again. Robin kneeled at his side, feeling sick. Billy’s arm was broken and there was lots of blood.

“Easy there, lad,” said Constantine, grabbing the stoic (and why could he not breathe) Damian in his arms as Zatanna and Dr. Fate went to work on Billy. “It’s going to be alright. He’s going to be alright.”

Damian was the fourth person allowed into Billy’s room. Zatanna, Constantine and Mary, of course, were allowed in first but once the good doctors realized that Damian would sneak into the room if he had to, well, who’s to stop Batman’s son? Mary was coddling her brother. Constantine had his arm wrapped around his wife Zatanna, they were relieve that Billy was alright. Billy was up, annoyed with all the fussing, like always.

A small smile reached Damian’s face before frowning. The worry about Billy was too much for him. The thought of Billy being gone, well, that was the worst thought in the universe. Mary spotted Damian in the door frame and beamed. “Zee, John, let’s go get some good food for Billy, right?” Mary dragged their adoptive parents out of the room, with confused looks on their faces. 

“Hey, Damian,” said Billy, with a nod of his head. His arm was in a sling, bandages were everywhere and he looked tired. “It was a rough day.” Damian bit the inside of his cheek. Anger pulse through him.

“Shut up, you don’t get to act like nothing happened,” said Damian, growling. “You could have died. Rough day? Rough day? I almost lost you, you big freaking idiot! What the hell would I do without you?”

Billy sighed, running a hand through his own black messy hair. “Damian…please don’t be angry with me. I lost to him again.” Damian clamped his mouth shut. Where Black Adam was concerned, Billy had no luck. Almost every time, Black Adam defeated Billy one way or another. Damian was still angry. “And…are you alright?” Billy gestured to the bruises appearing on the side of Damian’s face where Bizarro punched him, it almost broke his face, literally.

“I’m fine,” snapped Damian. “Sometimes, I don’t even know…” He stormed out of the infirmary room. Billy grumbled, he heard as he stalked through the hallways of the Watchtower, ignoring the concerned looks. 

Later when it was just Bruce and Damian in the Cave while reviewing today’s events, Damian was still in a mood. His father kept giving him concerned looks. It was irritating Damian even more. Talia made her way down to the Cave, demanding that they retire for the morning and get some rest before the next big fiasco. Bruce and Damian both trudged upstairs. Damian was not ready for bed, instead found his way to Dick and Kory’s room. The door was open, so he went in to find Kory and Mari sleeping, with Dick awake and reading some reports. 

Dick saw Damian and the brothers went into hall as not to wake Mari and Kory.

“How do you do it,” asked Damian. Dick raised an eyebrow. “How can you watch Kory fight crazy, impossible creatures when you can do nothing to help?” Dick sighed, smiling. Hugging him, Damian grunted. His brother liked giving hugs. Damian could not really complain.

“I worry, it’s a natural reaction, but I believe in her. It’s all I can do, except try my best to find other ways to help her. Kory, Billy, Clark, Diana, all of them can fight creatures that we can’t. Steve, Lois and Bruce all can’t stand it either. I remembered when Superman died, or so we thought, Lois was so distraught and Bruce was even worse, it was like almost losing Jason again. Then, there was Diana reverting to her clay state. Steve took several dangerous government missions. You’re not the only one that cares about big, strong, powerful people. But we, normal-ish humans, can do things they can’t” said Dick. “Billy’s only going to get stronger, you know. Losing makes our Billy more determined, especially since protecting is in his nature.”

“I hate it.”

“I know, believe me.”


	4. Match

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mari does not like it when Uncle Dami and Uncle Billy fight.

Mari was a six year old. She had black hair and green eyes, she was as beautiful as both her parents. She was the little Princess. Out of all her Aunts and Uncles, Uncle Dami and Uncle Billy were her favorite. Uncle Dami used to cart her around when she was a baby (due to her alien heritage, she had a better memory than human infants). Even now, when she was becoming a big girl, he carried her around, hugged her, kissed her head, tucked her in at night when Mommy and Daddy were out beating bad guys and told her stories. Uncle Dami taught her fighting too.

And Mari knew that Uncle Dami loved her, very much, but Uncle Dami loved someone else above everyone else in the world…Uncle Billy. Uncle Billy always had a smile for Mari. He was good at cheering her up. He took her for ice cream. They went flying together. Uncle Billy loved her very much too.

Uncle Billy loved Uncle Dami best though.

It was why Mari did not understand when Uncle Billy spent lots of time with Cissie Summerly that one year or when Uncle Dami went on a date with Hiro-san. She also did not understand why Uncle Billy and Uncle Dami were not talking to each other, lately. It was very upsetting to her.

“Uncle Dami,” asked Mari, in her best I’m-a-Princess tone. Damian was sitting in the library working on his schoolwork that Grandma Talia gave him.

“Yes, angel,” asked Damian, without looking up from his book.

“Can you take me to the zoo tomorrow,” asked Mari. The zoo was her favorite place to go to with Uncle Dami and Uncle Billy. They all loved animals. “I want Uncle Billy to come too!” Damian sighed, looking up from his work, staring at his niece. He was on the verge of saying no, she knew. “I haven’t seen Uncle Billy in forever, Uncle Dami, please?” She gave her very best puppy-dog pout and Damian grunted.

“Fine.”

He was always a sucker for the look.

Mari felt accomplished when Uncle Billy came and picked them up in Uncle Constantine’s car the next day. Uncle Dami buckled her up in the backseat and got in the front passenger seat. Uncle Billy and Uncle Dami did not even look at each other. Mari frowned. She knew that sometimes when you loved someone, you got into fights. Her parents argued sometimes. Her grandparents argued too. Uncle Jay and Auntie Bette argued all the time. She just did not like when Uncle Dami and Uncle Billy fought, it was quiet not loud like the others. They gave each other the silent treatment until one or both broke the silence.

So, on the car ride, Mari babbled about what animals she wanted to see, and that she wanted cotton candy and ice cream. She caused Uncle Billy to laugh and Uncle Dami to chuckle. They started talking again, about the route through the zoo that they had to take now that Mari made her intentions clear. She grinned in the backseat, seemingly oblivious to the way that Damian took Billy’s free hand and held it only for a moment.

All was forgiven, she saw Billy’s smile was bright and beaming in the mirror.

She had a fun day at the zoo with her Uncle Dami and Uncle Billy.

Things were back to normal.


	5. Good Enough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Talia and Constantine worry about their boys.

“Mother, I have completed by schoolwork for the week,” said Damian, her precious baby boy, handing the packet of papers to his Mother, Talia Wayne, to review. “Billy, Mary and I are going shopping for Lian’s birthday presents.” Talia would had never expected that she would be the wife of Bruce Wayne, her Beloved and be the mother of not just one child, but of many. Richard, Jason, Timothy, Cassandra, and Stephanie were as much her children as Damian. She was also the revered aunt of the many children of Bruce’s friends. 

“My heart, come and sit with your Mother for a moment,” said Talia. Damian was almost a grown man, but still sat on the couch next to her. He was now bigger than her, but she was still his Mother. “I would like to talk to you about love.” Damian grimaced, which he got from his father. Still he sat. “Do you remember what I told you about your Father and myself?”

“Yes,” said Damian, slowly. “You said that from the moment you met Father that you knew that he was your Beloved, the other half of your heart. Father disagreed though when I asked him. He thought that he and Aunt Selina were to wind up together in the end, because he thought you would never turn away from your father.” Talia sighed. 

“Damian, you never show interest in anyone except Hiro-san that one time,” said Talia. “I will not approve of anyone who is not good enough for you, but I want you to be happy, above all else.” Damian sighed as his phone went off.

“Billy’s waiting,” said Damian.

Talia gave a small smile and stroked her son’s cheek before letting him go spend the afternoon the Batson children. Once he was gone, Talia sighed again. It was not as if she did not like Billy. Billy was a sweet and wonderful young man. She saw how the two of them were together, already married in their hearts, but so oblivious to that fact. Damian was her baby and it hard letting go her son.

“And here I thought I was the brooder in this relationship, dear,” said Bruce, entering the living room. He sat next to her and wrapped his arms around her.

“Damian’s a man now,” said Talia, morosely.

“He is,” said Bruce, solemnly. “You have to give him time to process his feelings for Billy. Billy’s patient, he’ll wait. Of course, Mari is already planning the wedding, she’s so much her father’s daughter.”

“Beloved, she’s six, the wedding plans would be all pink and bright,” said Talia, horrified. She broke out of her Beloved’s hold. She walked away.

“Where are you going?”

“To start wedding plans, Beloved.”

“Of course.”

John Constantine was a difficult man, sometimes. He knew this. He knew that sometimes he did not deserve such a life as a husband and a father. Sometimes he really thought that he was messing up Billy and Mary’s lives and they would have been better without him. But damn, if Constantine did not love it when Mary’s big brown eyes looked at him with adoration. He equally loved it when Billy came to him for advice or just to talk. He did not have the best father in the world, so he tried his best with Billy.

Zatanna was alright with Billy’s friendship (really, it was a relationship, who was anyone kidding) with Damian Wayne. Constantine did not like Bruce very much and Bruce did not like him very much but Bruce did not like many people. Unfortunately, Bruce and Zatanna were childhood friends, much to Constantine’s dismay, especially since Zee once had a major crush on him. Damian reminded him of a little Bruce, just a more royal pain-in-the-ass like. But Billy brought the best out in Damian and Constantine wanted his son happy.

He would like to think that C.C. Batson would feel the same way about it.

Damian was not good enough for Billy.

Granted, Talia Wayne probably thought that Billy was not good enough for her little Damian, but parents were biased. He had no idea what Bruce thought, but he knew that Zatanna and Mary were both very supportive of the whole thing. Constantine never broached the subject with Billy before, about Billy’s very strong feelings for his best friend.

Then again, he knew that it was almost to that breaking point where one or the other broke down and confess or something.

“Billy, come and sit with your old man,” said Constantine. Billy, his nearly grown son, walked over to him. Constantine remembered the way that Billy used to wobbly walk when he was four years old and how many toothy grins the little boy used to give him. 

“Yeah, Constantine,” asked Billy. The kids never called him or Zee “Dad and Mom” or anything like that, but it was alright. “I’ve got to go pick up Damian soon.”

“Lad, when are you going to ask him out and be done with it,” asked Constantine, arms crossed. Billy flushed, mildly annoyed. “Because, not dealing with your feelings will mess you two up eventually. I don’t want you to get hurt. I know he’s still processing his feelings, but you’ve known since Cissie broke up with you when she got sick.”

“I just can’t right now.”

“Alright then.”

**Author's Note:**

> -Dick became Nightwing and left the Manor but not on bad terms with Bruce  
> -Jason wasn’t killed by Joker, merely severely hurt, retires as Robin, but then becomes Bluejay  
> -Tim became Robin, through Dick and Jason, and then became Red-Robin  
> -Barbara remains Oracle and in her wheelchair  
> -Cassandra was the second Batgirl and then became Black Bat—still daughter of Lady Shiva and David Cain, Cass was rescued by Batman when she was young, she and Tim are the same age, and her best friend is Tim  
> -Stephanie was never Robin, just Spoiler and then temporarily the third Batgirl—her mother was a drug addict and her father Cluemaster, she had a rough patch, where she had a daughter but the baby died shortly after  
> -Steph and Cass are traveling the world, being heroes and helping people, and rarely come home for just anything  
> -Kate and Bruce were childhood friends and traveled the world together to train, never romance between them  
> -Damian becomes the fourth Robin, is the son of Bruce and Talia, Damian is more level-headed  
> -Talia lives with Bruce and the family  
> -Selina is still Catwoman but marries Harvey Dent, who never became Two-Face  
> -Dick marries Starfire  
> -Roy becomes Red Arrow, never Arsenal, and Lian doesn’t die  
> -Donna and Roy together  
> -Bette Kane was never a Dick/Robin fangirl, still Flamebird and instead of tennis, she’s into physics, and Jason’s her Robin, Bette came to live with Kate in Gotham when she was young, she’s a year older than Jason  
> -Bette and Jason get married  
> -Clark and Lois never got married but still live together with Conner and Kara in Metropolis  
> -Connor and Mia live with Roy, after both had a falling out with Ollie  
> -Cissie King-Jones is Green Arrow’s sidekick, Cissie only stays to keep an eye on Ollie’s self-destruction issues  
> -Artemis Crock exists, Wally’s first love, and tends to be an undercover agent for Batman and allies  
> -Wonder Woman had to become Queen of Themiscyra, therefore Cassie becomes the third Wonder Woman  
> -Rose Wilson leads the Titans  
> -BB and Raven are together  
> -Mar’i is everyone’s lovely little girl  
> -Wally is the Flash, Barry’s still dead, Iris is safely raising Don and Dawn, Wally’s dating Linda, no kids though  
> -Hawkman and Hawkwoman are married, defectors from Thanagar  
> -Alan Scott, Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, John Stewart, Kyle Rayner and Jennifer Hayden are all Green Lanterns (the one where they get their power from Earth, not Space Aliens)  
> -John Constantine and Zatanna Zatara, married, adopted Billy and Mary Batson. Billy is Shazam. Mary is Lady Shazam.  
> -Billy and Damian are vitorlic best friends, you mess with one however, and you set off the other to go unstoppable rage on your ass (Billy/Damian)  
> -Colin Wilkes and Freddie Freeman are friends with Billy, Damian, Mary and Lian.


End file.
